Machine for casting metals



R. W. THOMPSON.

MACHINE FOR CASTING METALS.

APPLICATION FILED 056.29, 1919.

Patented May 10, 1921.

/V V E/YTO/T 44. J F 4 7% WM 477') machine consists of an external casin 'To all whom it may concern:

proaches very 0 RALPH WILLMET'I' THOMPSON, OF LEITH, SCOTLAND.

miicnmr: FOR CASTING METALS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 10, 1921.

Application filed December 29, 1919. Serial No. 347,913.

Be it known that I RALPH 'WILLMETT THoMrsoN, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 178 Ferry road, Le-ith, county of Midlothian, Scotland,

have invented new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Machines for Casting Metals, of which the following is a specification.

My said invention relates to centrifugal casting machines of the type in'which the external casing of the mold is divided longitudinally into two or more parts, and has for its object to provide means whereby castingsvarying in diameter can be made while still retaining the same external casing of the mold and so that the casting aplosely to what would be obtained in the sand or loamt pe of molding.

In carrying out my invention, the external rotating tubular casing of the mold is supported in suitable bearings, and driven from any convenient source. One end of the external rotating casing is connected to the driving shaft, while the other end is in communication with a tank or tanks. The driving shaft is preferably made tubular and communicates with an exhauster, while the opposite end of the casing may be hermetically sealed, so that air can, when desired, be withdrawn from the casing so as to form a vacuum or partial vacuum therein.

When a casting is to be made, theexternal rotating tubular casing is provided with an internal liner, consisting of sand, clay,

cement and water, known as slurry. The

slurry on flowing into the external casing, is converted by centrifugal action into a liner, which forms the mold for the metal casting.

In order that my said invention and the manner of performing the same may be properly understood, I hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawings to be hereinafter referred to in describing my invention.

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the improved casting machine. In these drawings the same reference letters are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.

As shown in the drawings, the casting supported for rotation in suitable bearmgs B, and, at oneend is coupled to a tubular shaft having a driving pulley C thereon,

and there is arranged in connection with it an exhauster N so that air can be withdrawn from the mold, while the other end of the casing A is 'in communication,

through. a nozzle or pipe D, with a tank E, I

containing the molten metal to form the casting.

The tank E containing the molten metal has formed in its underside a port, said port being controlled by a plug or valve F, operated'by a lever G, and a handle H, the latter being external to the tank. The nozzle D, whereby the molten metal is transferred from the tank E to the mold, is preferably made in two parts, one part positioned within a stuffing box J detachably connected to, but formingan air-tight joint with the casing A, while the other part is positioned outside of the stufiing box. The nozzle vD, tank E and stufling box J are supported on an adjustable stand K, so that, when desired, these parts, after'being disconnected from the casing A, can readlly be withdrawn therefrom.

If desired, external heat may be applied to the rotating casing A, for example, by a series of Bunsen burners L.

When a casting is to be made, the difference between the external diameterof said casting and the internal diameter of the ex ternal rotating casing A, is made up as follows: Slurry, that is a mixture of sand, clay, cement and water, contained in a receptacle, flows by gravity into the rotating casing A, and is converted by centrifugal action into a liner M, whose internal diameter corresponds to the external diameter of the proposed casting. A smooth internal surface may be imparted to the liner M by means of scrapers or-the like, and after the material has set with or without the application of heat, the molten metal to form the casting is run in, whereby a casting closely resembling that obtained from sand, or loam, molding is obtained.

The object of longitudinally dividing the external rotating casing-A is to facilitate the removal of the mold, or liner, and the casting.

What I claim is A centrifu al metal casting machine, com prising a ho ow rotatable member, an airtight gland at one end of said member, a, tank supported above said member and provided with a valve-controlled opening in its bottom, a nozzle communicating with said opening and passing through said gland into communication with said rotatable member,

7 a hollow shaft mounted for rotation at the opposite end of said rotatable member, said shaft and rotatable member having 'means for securing them together with their interior walls in concentric relation, means carried by said shaft for imparting rotation thereto, and means in communication with vacuum in said shaft and hollow member.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RALPH WILLMETT THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

GEORGE PATTERSON, WILLIAM BAXTER. 

